Electric control apparatus having an electromagnetic control device and an electromagnetic latch device with manually operating means for both



Jan. 16, 1968 J. P. CONNER 3,364,450

ELECTRIC CONTROL APPARATUS HAVING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTROL DEVICE AND AN ELECTROMAGNETIC LATCH DEVICE WITH MANUALLY OPERATING MEANS FOR BOTH Filed April 14, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l W F |G.l.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR M John P Conner ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1968 ELECTRIC CONT CONTROL DEVI WITH M Filed April 14, 1966 J P. CONNER 3,364,450

ROL APPARATUS HAVING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC CE AND AN ELECTROMAGNETIC LATCH DEVICE ANUALLY OPERATING MEANS FOR BOTH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 14, 1965, @er. No. 542,524 "7 Claims. (Cl. 335-170) This invention relates generally to electric control apparatus and more particularly to electric control apparatus of the type comprising an electric control device such as a contactor or relay and a latch device for releasably latching the control device in a particular operating position.

In the art of electric control, it is desirable, for certain applications, to provide means for maintaining a control device such as a contactor or relay in an operated position after the control device has been operated by means of only a momentary energization of the operating coil of the control device. For these applications, a latch device is installed to automatically latch the control device in the operated position. In order to provide full automatic or remote operation of the latch device, the latch device is constructed with an electromagnetic release operable upon momentary energization of a latch device coil to release the control device which is then automatically operated back to the initial position. At the initial setup of a control system, or at other times such as when the system is changed over, it is desirable that a worker be able to check out the system by manually operating the control device and latch device without energizing the control device and latch device coils.

Thus, an object of this invention is to provide an improved electric control apparatus comprising an electro magnetic control device and an electromagnetic latch device with means for manually operating the control device and latch device.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electric control apparatus that can be manually operated between two operating positions by alternate actuation of two separate push-type actuators that are accessible from the front of the apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electric control apparatus comprising a contactor and a latch device removably mounted beside the contactor with means for manually operating the contactor and latch device from the front of the apparatus.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved electric control apparatus comprising a control device such as a contactor or relay and a latch device removably mounted beside the control device, which combination is constructed such that the control device is automatically latched by the latch device in the operated position after the control device has been operated by means of only a momentary energization of the control device operating coil and which control device is automatically returned to the initial position after the latch device has been operated by means of only a momentary energization of the latch device coil, and which combination is constructed such that the control device and latch device can be manually operated by means of push-type actuators operable from the front of the apparatus.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of an electric control apparatus constructed in accordance with principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line III-III of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating part of the mounting plate means, the latch member and the contact carrier of the control apparatus of FIGS. 1-3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown, in FIGS. 1-3, an electric control apparatus 3 comprising a control device or contactor 5 and a latch device 7 both of which are mounted on mounting plate means 9. The mounting plate means 9 comprises a control device mounting plate 11 and a latch device mounting plate 13. The control device 5 is a contactor of the type that is more specifically described in the copending patent application of John P. Conner et al., Ser. No. 369,715, filed May 25, 1964, now Patent No. 3,296,567. Thus, only a brief description of the control device 5 is provided herein.

The control device mounting plate 11 comprises a sheet metal plate member bent over at the four sides thereof to form four leg portions, the outer two of which leg portions are bent over to form supporting flange parts as can be seen in FIG. 1. The contactor structure 5 is secured to the front of the metallic mounting plate 11 by means of two screws 15 (FIG. 3). The control device 5 comprises an insulating housing structure indicated generally. at T7 for housing the control device mechanism. The insulating housing structure 17 comprises a back insulating housing part 19, an intermediate insulating housing part 21 (FIG. 1), an upper insulating housing part 23 and a front insulating arc-hood part 25, which parts are suitably secured together to form an insulating housing structure 17 having four cavities C C C and C positioned between the upper insulating housing part 23 and the control device mounting plate 11. The details of the insulating housing structure 17 are more specifically described in the aforemention patent of Iohn P. Conner et al., Patent No. 3,296,5 67.

A control-device mechanism 29 is supported generally within the insulating housing structure 117. The contr0ldevice mechanism 29 comprises an electromagnet indicated generally at 31 comprising a laminated U-shaped magnetic core member 33, a laminated U-shaped magnetic armature 35 and an energizing coil 37 comprising two coil parts supported over the two legs of the U-shaped core 33. The coil 37 is encased in the insulating casing 21. The armature 35 is connected to a molded insulating contact carrier 41 by means of a connecting plate member 43 that passes through an opening in the contact carrier 41 and rests on ledges of the contact carrier 41 on opposite sides of the opening. The armature 35 is positioned in a cavity at the underside of the insulating contact carrier 41 with a resilient pad member 45 disposed between the armature 35 and part of the insulating contact carrier 41. Thus, the contact carrier 41 is connected to move with the armature 35'.

The insulating contact carrier 41 is provided with four Window openings 47 (FIGS. 3 and 4) therein for receiving four bridging contact members 49 (only one of Which is seen in FIG. 3). A separate biasing spring 51 is positioned in each of the openings 47 to maintain the associated bridging contact member 49 in place, to permit overtravel in the closed position of the contacts and to provide contact pressure in the closed position of the contacts. T=wo movable contacts 53 are supported at the opposite ends of each of the bridging contact members 49.

The control device 5 is a multi-pole contactor compris ing four pole units only one of which is seen in FIG. 3. Each of the pole units comprises a bridging contact member 49. The four bridging contact members 49 are supported in the four windows 47 (FIG. 4) of the contact carrier 41 for simultaneous movement upon movement of the common contact carrier 41. In each pole unit, a pair of stationary contacts 55 (FIG. 3) are supported on a pair of spaced conductors 57 which protrude out through openings in the insulating housing structure 17 and which are provided with solderless terminal connectors 59 (FIG. 1) at the outer ends thereof to permit connection of the contacts 55 in an electric circuit in a manner well known in the art.

A pair of operating springs 61 (FIG. 3) are supported on Z-shaped support members 63 between ledges on the insulating housing part 19 and the insulating contact carrier 41 to bias the contact carrier 4-1 to the upper unattracted position seen in FIG. 3. The insulating housing part 25 is formed with a pair of openings 67 therein (only one of which is seen in FIG. 3), and the insulating contact carrier 41 is provided with a pair of molded projections 69, molded integral with the contact carrier 41, which projections 69 protrude out through the openings 67. The projections 69 fit the openings 67 such that the contact carrier 41 is guided in the openings 67 for rectilinear vertical back and forth movement. The projections 69 also permit manual operation of the contactor in a manner to be hereinafter more specifically described. The insulating contact carrier 41 comprises four corner parts A A A and A (FIGS. 2 and 4) which are molded integral with the insulating contact carrier 41 and which move vertically (FIG. 3) in the cavities C C C and C (FIGS. 1 and 2) upon operation of the control device 5.

The latch device 7 comprises an'insulating housing structure 75 and an electromagnet 77 supported generally within the housing structure 75. The electromagnet 77 comprises a generally E-shaped laminated magnetic core 79, a generally E-shaped laminated magnetic armature 31 supported opposite the core 79 and an energizing coil 83. The core 79 is supported on the latch device mounting plate 13 by means of a pair of screw members 85 that secure the opposite legs of a bracket member 87 to the plate 13, which bracket passes over a bight portion of the core member 79. A pair of mounting screws 91 support the insulating housing structure 75 on the mounting plate 13. The energizing coil 83 is supported on an insulating spool 93 that is positioned over the center leg of the E shaped core member 79. The armature 81 is connected to an insulating support member 95 by means of a supporting pin 97 that passes through an opening in the member 95 and through a suitable opening in the armature S1 and that rests on ledges parts of the insulating member 75 at the opposite ends thereof. The insulating support member 95 is a generally U-shaped member, and the oppot site legs are formed with ledges 99 (one of which is seen in P16. 1) that are engaged by metallic stop members 101 to limit upward movement of the armature 81 and support 95. The stop members 101 are connected to the housing 75 by means of the mounting screws 91. A compression spring member 103 (FIG. 1) is supported between a suitable ledge on the housing 75 and the insulating support member 95 to bias the insulating member 95 and armature 81 upward to the unattracted position seen in FIGS. l3.

The mounting plate 13 of the latch device 7 is connected to the mounting plate 11 of the control device 5 by means of a screw member 105 (FIG. 3). A bell-crank type latch member 109 (FIG. 4) is pivotally supported on bent-over upstanding support parts 111 of the mounting plate 13 by means of supporting pins 113. The latch member 109 is provided with two leg portions 115 that straddle the insulating housing 75 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and that are positioned to be engaged by the lower ends 119 (only one of which is seen in FIG. 1) of the opposite legs of the generally U-shaped insulating member 95 when the latch device '7 is electro-magnetically operated. A compression spring member 121 is positioned between the plate 13 and the latch member 109 to bias the latch member 1419 in a clockwise (FIG. 1) direction about the support pins 113.

The latch member 199 is provided with two latch parts 125 for latching the contact carrier 41 in a manner to be hereinafter specifically described. An upstanding projection 127 is bent-over from each of the latch parts 125 to en gage the contact carrier 41 of the control structure 5 in the unlatched position. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the latch parts 125 are connected by an intermediate part 135 and the opposite leg parts are connected by an intermediate part 137. The latch member 109 moves as a unit about the pivots 113.

A pair of external terminals 139 (only one of which is seen in FIG. 1) are provided for connecting the control device coil 37 (FIG. 3) in an electric circuit. A pair of external terminals 141 (FIG. 2) are provided for connecting the latch device 7 in an electric circuit.

The operation of the control device 5 vvill be understood with the armature 35, insulating contact carrier 41 and bridging contacts 49, which parts move as a unit, being referred to as a control-device movable structure 142. The control-device movable structure 142 is guided for vertical rectilinear down-and-up movement (FIGS. 1 and 3) by the engagement of the projections 69 of the contact carrier 41 with the sidewalls of the openings 67 of the insulating arc-hood housing part 25.

The operation of the latch device 7 will be understood with the armature 8 1 and insulating support member 95, which parts move as a unit, being referred to as a latchdevice movable structure 144. The latch-device movable structure 144 is guided for vertical rectilinear down-and-up movement (FIGS. 1 and 3) by the'engagement of the opposite legs of the inverted U-shaped support member 95 with opposite sidewall parts 146 (only one of which is seen in FIG. 1) of the insulating housing 75 and by engagement of the opposite legs of the member 95 with a pair of track surfaces 148 on each of the opposite sidewalls of the housing 75.

The electric control apparatus 3 is shown in FIGS. 1-3 in an initial unlatched and unenergized position. In this position the springs 61 (FIG. 3) bias the control-device movable structure 142 upward to the unattracted open position seen in FIG. 3. The bent-over parts 127 of the latch member 199 (FIGS. 1 and 4) engage the corner parts A A of the contact carrier 41 to maintain the latch member 109 in the unlat-ching position seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 against the bias of the spring 121. The latch device movable structure 144 is maintained in the upper unattracted position seen in F168. 13 by means of the springs 103. Upon energization of the control device coil 37 (FIG. 3) the armature 35 will be magnetically attracted to the core 33 to move downward against the bias of the springs 61 to thereby move the control-device movable structure 142 downward to close the contacts 53, 55 of the four pole units of the control device 5. This downward movement is limited by engagement of the armature 35 with the core 33. When the contact carrier 41 moves to a position wherein the corner parts A A thereof fall below the latch parts of the latch member 169, the spring 121 will bias the latch member 109 in a clockwise (FIGS. 1 and 3) direction about the pivots 113 moving the latch parts 125 of the latch memher 199 over top of the corner parts A A of the contact carrier 41 to latch the control-device movable structure 142 in the lower contact-closed position. Latching movement of the latch member 109 is limited by engagement of the part with the insulating housing structure 17 of the control device 5. The coil 37 of the control device 5 need only be energized momentarily to move the contact carrier 41 to the attracted contact-closed position and when the coil is deenergized, the latch member 109 remains in the latching position latching the controldevice movable structure 142 in the contact-closed position. The control device 5 Will remain latched in the latched position until the latch member 199 is moved back to the unlatching position seen in FIG. 1, the position of the latch member 169 latching the contact carrier 41 in the attracted contact-closed position as seen in FIG. 4.

In order to unlatch the control device 5 to permit the control device to be automatically operated back to the initial position seen in FIGS. 1-3, the coil 83 of the latch device '7 is energized. Upon energization of the coil 83, the armature 81 is magnetically attracted downward into engagement with the magnetic core member 79. During this movement, the latch-device movable structure 144 is moved downward and the free ends 119 (FIG. 1) of the opposite legs of the member 95 engage the legs 115 of the latch member 109 to pivot the latch member 109 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivots 113 to the unlatching position seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. When the latch parts 125 of the latch member 109 clear the corner parts A A of the contact carrier 4-1, the springs 61 operate to move the control-device movable structure 142 back up to the initial position seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. Thus, the control device 5 is automatically returned to the position seen in FIGS 1-3 upon energization of the latch device coil 83. The energization of the latch device coil 83 need only be a momentary energization because as the contact carrier 41 moves upward to the initial position seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the corner parts A A again engage the bent-over parts 127 of the latch member 169 to prevent latching movement of the latch member 199 under the influence of the latching spring 121. Thus, after the coil 83 of the latch device has been momentarily energized to unlatch the control device 5 to permit the control device 5 to return to the initial position seen in F168. 1-3 the spring members 103 will operate to move the latch device movable structure 144 back up to the unattracted initial position seen in FIGS. 1-3 when the coil 83 is deenergized. The parts are then in the initial position seen in FIGS. 1-3 until a subsequent operation of the control device 5.

The control apparatus 3 is constructed and arranged such that at the initial setup of the control system, or at other times such as when the system is changed or inspected, a worker can manually operate the control device and latch device in order to check out the system without energizing the control device or latch device coils. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in order to manually operate the control device 5 a worker merely presses on one or both of the projections 69 pushing the projections downwardly in a direction generally normal to the front plane of the generally planer mounting plate means 9 to move the control-device movable structure 142 downward to the contact-closed position. When the contact carrier 41 reaches the contact-closed position, the corners A A of the contact carrier 41 clear the latch parts 125 of the latch member Hi9 and the spring 121 automatically biases the latch member 1119 in a clockwise (FIGS. 1 and 3) direction to move the latch parts 125 over the corners A A so that when the projections 69 are released the controldevice movable structure 142 remains latched in the contact-closed position. The control apparatus will remain in the latched contact-closed position until the latch member 109 is moved to the unlatching position. When it is de sired to manually move the latch member 109 to the unlatching position, the worker presses down on the insulating member 95 of the latch device 7 to move the latch device movable structure 144 downward whereupon the inner ends 119 (FIG, 1) of the legs of the inverted generally U-shaped member 95 engage the legs 115 of the latch member 1119 to move the latch member 109 counterclockwise (FIGS. 1 and 3) to the unlatching position against the bias of the latch spring 121. When the latch parts 125 (FIG. 4) of the latch member 109 clear the corners A A of the contact carrier 41, the springs 61 automatically force the control-device movable structure 142 back up to the initial position seen in FIGS. 1-3. When the contact carrier 41 reaches the position seen in FIG. 3 the corner parts A A thereof again engage the bent-over projections 127 (FIG. 4) of the latch member 109 to maintain the latch member 1139 in the unlatching position. When the worker releases the insulating member the latch device movable structure 144 is returned to the upper position seen in FIGS. 1-3 by means of the spring 193 (FIG. 1). The control device 5 and latch device 7 will remain in the unattracted and unlatched contact-open position seen in FIGS. 1-3 until a subsequent electrical or manual operation of the control device 5.

From the foregoing, it can be understood that there is provided by this invention an improved electrical control device comprising an improved electric control apparatus comprising an electromagnetic control device and an electromagnetic latch device with means for manually operating the control device and latch device. The control device and latch device are mounted on the generally planar front of mounting plate means in a side-by-side relationship. The control device, which may be electrically operated by means of a momentary energization of an operating coil, is automatically latched in the operated position by means of a bell-crank type latch member that is biased to the latching position and that is released to move to the latching position when the control device is operated. The control device will remain in the latched operated position until the latch member is operated back to the unlatching position. The latch device, which may be automatically operated by momentary energization of a latch-device coil, operates the latch member against the bias of the latching spring to move the latch member to an unlatching position whereupon the operating springs of the control device return the control-device movable structure back to the initial position. The contact carrier comprises an external projection that can be manually depressed to manually operate the control device movable structure to the operated position whereupon the latch member automatically latches the control device in the operated position. The latch device is constructed such that the latch device movable structure can be manually depressed to move the latch member to an unlatching position whereupon the control device movable structure is automatically returned to the initial position. The manually operable parts of the control device and latch device are both positioned at the front of the electric control apparatus and they are both readily accessible for manual depression in a direction generally normal to the plane of the generally planar mounting plate means electric control apparatus.

Although the control device is disclosed as having normally open contacts, it can be understood that the control device could be constructed with normally closed contacts in the manner well known in the art.

While the invention has been described in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it is to be understood that various changes in the structural details and arrangement of parts thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electric control apparatus comprising a control device and a latch device,

said control device comprising a stationary contact structure, a control-device movable structure movable as a unit and comprising a movable contact structure, a movable contact carrier and a first magnetic armature, a first electromagnet comprising said first magnetic armature and a first magnetic core, said first magnetic armature being movable relative to said first magnetic core to move said controldevice movable structure to thereby move said movable contact structure between two operating positions to close and open an electric circuit, a first biasing means biasing said control-device movable structure to a first of said operating positions, said latch device comprising a latch-device movable structure, said latch-device movable structure comprising a second magnetic armature and latch actuating means movable with said second magnetic armaseer tan ture, said latch device comprising a second electromagnet, said second electromagnet comprising said second magnetic armature and a second magnetic core, said second magnetic armature being movable relative to said second magnetic core to move said latch-device movable structure, a second biasing means biasing said latch-device movable structure to an unactuated position wherein said second magnetic armature is spaced from said second magnetic core, said latch device comprising a latch member movable between unlatching and latching positions, a third biasing means biasing said latch member toward the latching position,

means mounting said control device and latch device in a side-by-side relationship,

upon a momentary energization of said first electromagnet said control-device movable structure being magnetically moved from said first operating position to the second of said operating positions, upon operation of said control-device movable structure to said second operating position said latch member being automatically released and said third biasing means biasing said latch member to a position latching said control-device movable structure in said second operating position, thereafter upon momentary energization of said second electromagnet said latch-device movable structure being operated from said nnactuated position to an actuated position against the bias of said second biasing means to thereby operate said latch member from said latching position to said unlatching position against the bias of said third biasing means, upon movement of said latch member to said unlatching position said first biasing means operating automatically to return said control-device movable structure to said first operating position, upon deenergization of said second electromagnet said second biasing means operating automatically to return said latch-device movable structure to said unactuated position, maintaining means operating automatically when said control-device movable structure is in said first operating position to maintain said latch member in said unlatching position against the bias of said third biasing means,

means for manually operating said control-device movable structure from said first operating position to said second operating position independent of energization of said first electromagnet, said latch member automatically moving to said latching position upon said manual operation of said control-device movable structure, and means for manually operating said latch-device movable structure from said unactuated position to said actuated position independent of energization of said second electromagnet to operate said latch member from said latching position to said unlatching position whereupon said first biasing means operates automatically to return said control-device movable structure to said first operating position.

2. An electric control apparatus according to claim 1, a mounting plate means comprising a generally planar front surface, means mounting said control device and said latch device on the front surface of said mounting plate means in a side-by-side relationship, and said control-device movable structure and said latch-device movable structure being manually operable from the front of said electric control apparatus.

3. An electric control apparatus according to claim 2, said control-device movable structure comprising a part that is accessible from the front of said electric control apparatus and that is depressible in a direction toward said mounting plate means to move said control-device movable structure from said first operating position to said second operating position, said latch-device movable structure comprising a part that is accessible from the front of said electric control apparatus and that is depressible in a direction toward said mounting plate means to move said latch-device movable structure from said unactuated position to said actuated position.

4. An electric control apparatus according to claim 1, said control-device movable structure being supported for reciprocal rectilinear movement, said latch-device movable structure being supported for reciprocal recti linear movement generally parallel to the movement of said control-device movable structure, and said controldevice movable structure comprising manually accessible means accessible from a first side of said electric control apparatus to permit manual movement of said controldevice movable structure from said first operating position to said second operating position, and said latchdevice movable structure comprising manually accessible means accessible from said first side of said electric control apparatus to permit manual movement of said latchdevice movable structure from said unactuated position to said actuated position.

5. An electric control apparatus according to claim 1, mounting plate means having a generally planar front surface, means mounting said control device and said latch device on said generally planar front surface of said mounting plate means in a side-by-side relationship, said control-device movable structure being supported for rectilinear movement in a direction normal to the planar front surface of said mounting plate means, said latch-device movable structure being supported for movement in a direction normal to the planar front surface of said mounting plate means and parallel to the direction of movement of said control-device movable structure, said control-device movable structure comprising a manually engageable part at the front of said electric control apparatus engageable to permit manual depression of said control-device movable structure from the front of said electric control apparatus which manual depression will operate said control-device movable structure from said first operating position to said second operating position, and said latch-device movable structure comprising a manually engageable part accessible at the front of said electric control apparatus to permit manual depression of said latch-device movable structure from said unactuated position to said actuated position.

6. An electric control apparatus according to claim 5, said latch member comprising a bell-crank member supported for pivotal movement, said bell-crank member comprising a first leg part for latching said control-device movable structure and a second leg part extending generally normal to said first leg part, said second leg part being engageable by said latch-device movable structure when said latch-device movable structure is moved to said actuated position to move said latch member to said unlatching position.

7. An electric control apparatus according to claim 6, said control-device movable structure in the first operating position thereof engaging said first leg part of said latch member to maintain said latch member in said unlatching position against the bias of said third biasing means.

References (Jited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1958 Turner 335l66 1/1963 Landow et al. 335-427 

1. AN ELECTRIC CONTROL APPARATUS COMPRISING A CONTROL DEVICE AND A LATCH DEVICE, SAID CONTROL DEVICE COMPRISING A STATIONARY CONTACT STRUCTURE, A CONTROL-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE MOVABLE AS A UNIT AND COMPRISING A MOVABLE CONTACT STRUCTURE, A MOVABLE CONTACT CARRIER AND A FIRST MAGNETIC ARMATURE, A FIRST ELECTROMAGNET COMPRISING SAID FIRST MAGNETIC ARMATURE AND A FIRST MAGNETIC CORE, SAID FIRST MAGNETIC ARMATURE BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST MAGNETIC CORE TO MOVE SAID CONTROLDEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE TO THEREBY MOVE SAID MOVABLE CONTACT STRUCTURE BETWEEN TWO OPERATING POSITIONS TO CLOSE AND OPEN AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT, A FIRST BIASING MEANS BIASING SAID CONTROL-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE TO A FIRST OF SAID OPERATING POSITIONS, SAID LATCH DEVICE COMPRISING A LATCH-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE, SAID LATCH-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A SECOND MAGNETIC ARMATURE AND LATCH ACTUATING MEANS MOVABLE WITH SAID SECOND MAGNETIC ARMATURE, SAID LATCH DEVICE COMPRISING A SECOND ELECTROMAGNET, SAID SECOND ELECTROMAGNET COMPRISING SAID SECOND MAGNETIC ARMATURE AND A SECOND MAGNETIC CORE, SAID SECOND MAGNETIC ARMATURE BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID SECOND MAGNETIC CORE TO MOVE SAID LATCH-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE, A SECOND BIASING MEANS BIASING SAID LATCH-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE TO AN UNACTUATED POSITION WHEREIN SAID SECOND MAGNETIC ARMATURE IS SPACED FROM SAID SECOND MAGNETIC CORE, SAID LATCH DEVICE COMPRISING A LATCH MEMBER MOVABLE BETWEEN UNLATCHING AND LATCHING POSITIONS, A THIRD BIASING MEANS BIASING SAID LATCH MEMBER TOWARD THE LATCHING POSITION, MEANS MOUNTING SAID CONTROL DEVICE AND LATCH DEVICE IN A SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP, UPON A MOMENTARY ENERGIZATION OF SAID FIRST ELECTROMAGNET SAID CONTROL-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE BEING MAGNETICALLY MOVED FROM SAID FIRST OPERATING POSITION TO THE SECOND OF SAID OPERATING POSITIONS, UPON OPERATION OF SAID CONTROL-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE TO SAID SECOND OPERATING POSITION SAID LATCH MEMBER BEING AUTOMATICALLY RELEASED AND SAID THIRD BIASING MEANS BIASING SAID LATCH MEMBER TO A POSITION LATCH ING SAID CONTROL-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE IN SAID SECOND OPERATING POSITION, THEREAFTER UPON MOMENTARY ENERGIZATION OF SAID SECOND ELECTROMAGNET SAID LATCH-DEVICE MOVABLE STRUCTURE BEING OPERATED FROM SAID UNACTUATED POSITION TO AN ACTUATED POSITION AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID SECOND BIASING MEANS TO THEREBY OPERATE SAID LATCH MEMBER FROM SAID LATCH- 